An on-going activity of space exploration is the growth of pure monocrystalline ingots of material such as gallium arsenide. Traditionally, monocrystalline materials are formed by enclosing, within an ampoule, a seed of the monocrystalline material in contact with an ingot of the same material but which is non-monocrystalline. The ampoule is heated and the ingot is forced to melt while maintaining contact with the seed. Upon cooling, the melted material freezes progressively to form a monocrystalline structure.
A major disadvantage of present ampoules designed for space travel is their vulnerability to launch forces which frequently break parts of the ampoule. Further, it is difficult for the ampoule to be designed in such a way that the entire seed is not melted. This detracts from the efficiency of crystal growth as the melted ingot is cooled down, causing defects in the crystal lattice.